Fly-catcher.



No. 728,871. PATBNTED MAY 26, 1903.

FLY GATGHER. APPLIUATION nun mm; 9, 1902.

F0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

JOHN E. COX, OF ABINGDON, ILLINOIS.

FLY-CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,871, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed June 9, 1902- Serial No. 110,778. (No model.)

of the United States, residing at Abingdon, in

the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of flycatching devices in which a cord is threaded through a movable receptacle containing a viscous or sticky material in the form of a paste designed to attract the insects, the receptacle or reservoir being suspended on the cord when in use and the cord itself afiording an object on which the flies alight and to which they are held fast by the sticky substance with which the cord is coated by drawing the receptacle thereover.

The object of the invention is to provide a fly-catcher of this class which can be produced at a trifling cost, which is capable of being neatly and easily packaged for shipment and sale, and which shall possess a high efficiency in operation.

To these ends my invention consistsin a fiy-catcher of the type referred to possessing the characteristics of structure and mode of operation substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my invention in elevation, the same being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device, showing the same put up for shipment and sale. Fig. 3 is a similar side elevational view of the device turned through a right angle and showing the cord unwound and in section. Fig. 4

is a central longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, the cord and paste being omitted and the ends of the fastening-wire in inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a substantially central transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the paste-receptacle, the fastening-wire and cord being removed.

Referring to the drawings for a detail de scription of my invention, '7 indicates a small round tin box,which is provided with a cover. 8, adapted to fit snugly over the open end thereof. The side walls of the box are verticall y slotted at diametrically opposite points through slightly more than half their height, as indicated at 9. The purpose of these slots is to receive a string or cord 10 in such a way as to allow the cord to pass directly and substantially centrally through the receptacle. It will be observed that when the cover 8 is in place the cord is thereby retained in engagement with the receptacle with facility for the receptacle to be moved longitudinally of the cord or, what amounts to the same thing, for the cord to be drawn through the receptacle. The ends of the cord are preferably provided with loops or knots 11, whereby the device may be suspended from a hook ornail on the wall at either-end. The bottom of the receptacle is provided at diametrically opposite points near its margin with a pair of holes 12, and through these holes is passed a flexible wire 13, the two end portions of which lie outside of and along the side walls of the cover and are of sufficient length to enable their ends to be bent down at right angles over the cover, as best shown in Fig. 3, to thereby lock the cover in place upon the body of the receptacle. An additional function which this wire serves is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein it will be seen that when the cord 10 is coiled around the body of the receptacle, as is the case when the device is packed for shipment and sale, the wire effectivelyserves to hold the cord in place against accidentally unwinding.

The manner-of usinginy invention is as follows: The receptacle having the cord threaded through the same in the manner described is charged with a quantity of paste,(indicated at 14 in Fig. 5,) the cover is applied, the cord wound thereabout, and the ends of the wire 13 bent down over the cover, thereby assembling the parts in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and in that form is sold and delivered to the user. The latter on receiving the same bends outwardly the ends of the wire 13 sufficiently to enable the cord 10 to be unwound and then bends back the ends of the wire over the cover, as shown in Fig. 3. The receptacle is then drawn once or twice over the cord from end to end of the latter, thereby coating the latter with the sweet sticky paste, and the device is then suspended from a convenient hook or nail. The insects being attracted thereto and alighting thereon are c. all

caught and held in the manner plainly indicated in Fig. 1, and when the string is partially or entirely covered with insects the device may be removed, the receptacle drawn to the opposite end of the string, thereby scraping off the insects and simultaneously recoating the string with a fresh layer of paste, and the device is then hung up at its opposite end. Any time that the device is to be put out of use and laid away for future use it is taken down, the ends of the wire 13 again bent outwardly, the cord wound snugly around the receptacle, and the ends of the wire again bent back over the cover, all as shown in Fig. 2, thus assembling the parts of the device in neat and compact order.

'The principal advantages of my invention are that it is exceedingly economical to manufacture, and consequently can be sold fora trifle. It is capable of being packaged and shipped in verycompact and secure form, in which it occupies but little space. The string does not have to be threaded through the receptacle, but on the removal of the cover can be associated in operative relation thereto by simply seating it in the base of the slots and applyingthe cover thereover. The pliant wire forms an effective securing means for both the cord and the cover, and at the same time can be instantly bent out of operative engagement therewith to allow the cord to be uncoiled and the receptacle to be refilled when necessary.

Other minor advantages not necessary to be specifically recited will be found to inhere in the device constituting my invention.

1 do not limit myself to the specific details shown and described except to the extent clearly specified in certain of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. In a flycatcher of the kind described, the combination with a paste-receptacle the walls whereof are provided at diametrically opposite points with longitudinally-extending open-ended slots, of a cord seated in said slots and lying transversely across the interior of the receptacle, a cover closing the open end of the receptacle and the open ends of the slots, and means for locking the cover upon the receptacle secured to one of said parts and lockingly engaging the other, substantially as described.

2. In a fiy-catcher of the kind described, the combination with a paste-receptacle having longitudinally-slotted walls and a cord seated in said slots and lying across the interior of the receptacle, of a cover closing the open end of the receptacle and the outer end of the slots, and a flexible wire secured in the body of the receptacle and at its free end adapted to be bent over and lock said cover in place upon the receptacle, substantially as described.

3. In a fly-catcher of the kind described, the combination with a paste-receptacle having longitudinally-slotted walls and a cord seated in said slots and lying across the interior of the receptacle, of a cover closing the open end of the receptacle and the outer end of the slots, and a flexible wire secured at its intermediate part to the bottom of the receptacle and having its two end portions lying alongside the walls of the receptacle at opposite points thereon and adapted to be bent over and lock the cover in place, substantially as described.

4. In a fly-catcher of the kind described, the combination with a paste-receptacle haviug longitudinally-slotted walls and a cord seated in said slots across the interior of the receptacle and adapted, when out of use, to be wrapped around the exterior of the body of the receptacle, of a cover closing the open end of the receptacle and the outer end of the slots, and a flexible wire secured in the bottom of the receptacle and having its two end portions bent down upon and overlying the coiled cord and the flange of the cover and locking both of said parts upon the receptacle, substantially as described.

JOHN E. COX.

Witnesses:

W. A. NORRIS, STRAWTHER GIVENS. 

